ctcLink

What is ctcLink?

ctcLink is the implementation of a single, centralized system of online functions
to give students, faculty and staff anytime, anywhere access to a modern, efficient
way of doing their college business.

It's about much more than new software. As the current 35-year-old administrative
system is replaced, colleges will also align their core business processes with the
delivered software solution, making for streamlined, standardized practices across
the 34-college system.

Three pilot colleges (Spokane Community College, Spokane Falls Community College and
Tacoma Community College) went live with ctcLink (Oracle PeopleSoft) in August 2015.
There were numerous system functionality issues following go-live. Although many of
the problems were fixed as they were discovered, the pilot colleges continued to have
problems with the new system.

In late 2016, the ctcLink project underwent an Independent Validation and Verification
(IV&V) assessment to determine the state of the technical and functional aspects of
the system. As a result, implementation activities for the next group of colleges
were put on hold.

The project team focused all its efforts on remediation and stabilization of the pilot
colleges. This phase has ended and all parties signed off on plans to complete any
remaining remediation items and move the project forward.

In addition, the State Office of the Chief Information Officer approved a new ctcLink
Investment Plan, which was required before additional colleges could implement ctcLink.
The new plan includes a restructured governance model, updated staffing plan, deployment
timeline and budget.

With a new director and a new plan in place, the ctcLink project is back on track.

In collaboration with a group of college project and organizational change managers
(OCM), project leadership has developed a detailed plan and timeline for implementing
ctcLink to all colleges by 2021.

The upgrade project

In March 2018, college executive sponsors and project managers gathered during a three-day
summit to set the stage to kick off the Upgrade Project activities as well as a "re-start"
of the entire project.

The Upgrade Project is now underway and includes a major software upgrade for the
pilot colleges, plus the addition of Clark College and the SBCTC agency office on
the ctcLink platform.

Renewed governance structure

In February 2017, the Washington Association for Community and Technical Colleges Technology
Committee (WACTC-Tech) began the process of reorganizing ctcLink project governance
and oversight.